The Babel Incident
by LittleSpooge
Summary: A speculative exploration of the past of Sora No Otoshimono. What was the havoc that Ikaros is said to have wrought upon the realm of Synapse? How did Daedalus come to be imprisoned? This story offers one possible scenario.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER**

This text is intended purely as a tribute to the material of Sora No Otoshimono. It does not reflect actual canon, and may be contradicted by any official release. If any persons wish to adapt this text into a different format (hah, I wish) they may do so without any obligations, legal or otherwise, regarding this text. Author credit or notification would nonetheless be appreciated.

**CHAPTER 1**

It was a troubling time for the angelic denizens of the floating realm of Synapse. Humans, who had once been seen as mere curiosities, had begun to construct a mighty device with which they could threaten Synapse itself. They called it the Tower of Babel, built using remnants of angelic technology discarded on Earth. Mortals saw it as a stairway to heaven, when in truth they were building a dimensional transporter that would allow them to pierce the barrier separating the two worlds.

The Synapse high council was in session. The council was Synapse's highest authority; they alone could access the Pillar of Rules that controlled their limitless technology. They gathered in a grand open-air agora, or forum, that would be fit for the gods of Olympus themselves. Each council member was clad in a Grecian robe or gown as befits their gender. They were nearly unanimous in their contempt for humans, or 'downers' as they were often called. While some had initially sympathized with the poor creatures, the thought of their holy land being polluted by lesser beings turned pity into contempt. The downers had to be broken, their tower destroyed and their hubris buried for all time. One dissenting voice still remained: Daedalus, Synapse's greatest engineer and artisan, who had spent the most time amongst humans and had come to respect their tenacity, passion for life, and capacity for kindness. Now, under the white marble pillars of the council forum, the blue-haired angel argued her case.

"You consider the humans vermin," she declared, "yet were we so different when our race was young? While it may be true that they have acquired technology beyond their understanding, we should be guiding them in its use. With our help, they could evolve into a civilization that-"

"Why should we be interested in the evolution of lesser life when we have already achieved perfection?"

Daedalus turned coldly towards her fellow council member. It was Minos, second to her in skill, but second to none in pride. His face, framed with wild golden hair, bore his trademark smirk. He was confident that she was fighting a losing battle.

"Everything the downers could ever achieve, we have achieved and more," he continued. "Their existence is redundant. They are fit only to be our playthings. And a pet that bears fangs against its master should be put down." The other council members nodded in agreement.

Daedalus retorted. "But we can help them avoid the same mistakes we made. Our society has not changed in millennia. Some day, they might be able to see a way forward where we cannot."

"I question your judgment, Daedalus. Perhaps you have spent too much time amongst them and not enough time appreciating our accomplishments. Perhaps your attachment has become a bit too personal."

Daedalus stepped forward to counter him, but she was waved down by another council member. "I'm sorry Daedalus, but the rest of us are firm in our stance. For the good of Synapse, we must punish the humans. Since it is you who possess our greatest weapon..."

"Ikaros," she mumbled.

"Yes. She, the Uranus Queen, could smite the humans in an instant. A decisive blow to break the human spirit and prove our superiority. She follows your word alone. You must give the command."

"No. She was created to protect Synapse from actual threats, not to be a butcher."

Minos chimed in. "Treasonous words, Daedalus. Under these circumstances, I'm afraid it is within our law for the rest of us to be a bit more... forceful... with our demands." The other council members murmured in begrudging agreement. Though Daedalus was greatly respected, the purity of Synapse came first.

One of the other council members stood forward. "It is settled! Daedalus, you are to be placed under house arrest until further notice." With this proclamation, a pair of sentries emerged and led Daedalus into an underground passage, out of sight of the rest of the attendees.

Once she had been removed, the council member continued. "Daedalus' hold over the Uranus Queen must be broken if this operation is to proceed as planned. We must bring the Uranus Queen for reconditioning."

"Allow my servants to carry out this task, my fellow sir," Minos requested. There was a subtle, but sinister edge to his voice and posture. "I'm sure they would be all too happy to oblige."

* * *

><p>Synapse was a realm consisting of numerous floating islands, each forming a separate district. Many of them incorporated spiraling towers, great acropolises and pristine hanging gardens. The residential district, in contrast to the rest of the realm, bore few outward signs of high technology and had little in the way of grand architecture. It was filled with quaint houses out of a European fairy tale, many of them raised off the ground by carefully cultivated trees. Most dwellings were vacant since their inhabitants had taken up induced dreaming as a pastime, which required special facilities in a separate district. At this particular moment, almost all the citizens of Synapse were deep in a dream state except for those involved with the council or on regional assignment.<p>

It was near the house of Daedalus that Ikaros was busy attending to her favorite vegetable patch. Her 'mother', Daedalus, had brought in some seeds from the surface world, and they had since grown into luscious, round fruit. They were a precious gift, and Ikaros was happy to see them blossom. She was blissfully unaware of the troubles in Synapse, Daedalus having intentionally kept her in the dark.

She was interrupted by the rustle of wings. Twin angeloids descended next to her: the Harpies, personal servants of Minos, one with green hair and the other dirty blonde. They were designated Gamma-1 and Gamma-2 respectively. "Well doesn't the mighty Uranus Queen look just adorable?" Gamma-1 quipped, the sarcasm in her voice completely unnoticed by Ikaros.

"Nice to meet you, Gamma," Ikaros replied. "Is something the matter?"

"You're not with your sisters today. Where are they?" Gamma-2 asked.

"Nymph is out on patrol. I think Astraea is due back, but she may have gotten lost again."

"Well that's convenient," Gamma-1 stated. "You see there's been a little disagreement at the council, and we've been sent over on some official business." She pointed at Ikaros. "Regarding you."

"Me?" Ikaros blinked in confusion. A moment later, she noticed someone approaching from down a nearby footpath. It was Daedalus, escorted back from the council meeting under armed guard. Looking closer, Ikaros spotted her mother's restraints. Ikaros' eyes widened and she started forward to meet her. "M-mother! What-"

The Harpies moved to block her path. Gamma-2 spoke up. "You should hold still for her sake." Ikaros froze as Gamma-2 continued. "Now since we can't quite guarantee you'll come quietly... sis?"

"With pleasure." Gamma-1 produced what appeared to be an ornate padlock. She then stepped forward and closed it around the base of the chain that ran from Ikaros' collar. The padlock shone as the chain began to disintegrate, and a shudder ran through Ikaros' body. Ikaros could feel her imprinting, her connection to Daedalus, slipping away. She gave Daedalus one last longing glance. Daedalus looked up, saw for the first time what was happening, and cried out Ikaros' name. All went dark for Ikaros as her consciousness was submerged, and she crumpled to the ground. Each Harpy grabbed one of Ikaros' shoulders and crudely dragged her skyward as they took off in the direction of Synapse's medical district.

* * *

><p>The bowels of the reconditioning chambers were not as pleasant as most other places in Synapse appeared to be. The walls were strewn with exposed, glowing cables, with regular pulses giving the place an almost organic atmosphere. Invasive surgical devices were a regular sight, overseen by a handful of mass produced angeloid nurses.<p>

Ikaros was suspended from a wall in a sealed room deep within the facility, live feeds snaking into and out of her body. Nearby computers worked on reformatting her personality to suit her mission, replacing her love and devotion with cold-blooded efficiency. Her only company was the Harpies, assigned to keep watch over her.

Gamma-2 gazed at Ikaros' inert form with scorn. "You know sis, it's always 'Uranus Queen this' and 'Uranus Queen that' around here. If she were gone, I'd bet there'd be a lot more respect for us."

Gamma-1's face flashed with a murderous grin. "Maybe something went wrong with the reconditioning. Maybe there was a short, or a rogue instruction. Maybe something just so happened to make her brain dead."

A deep voice boomed from the entrance of the room. "As much as I'd like to see Daedalus and her creations suffer, I have special plans for this one." Minos stepped into the room with imperious swagger.

Both of the Harpies turned and bowed before him. "Yes, master!"

He strode past them and approached Ikaros, looking at her with perverse satisfaction. "Each of the council members had some hand in the Uranus Queen's new programming. Oh, except for Daedalus, of course. With her out of the way, none on the council can hope to match my skill."

"Of course not, master," the Harpies said simultaneously.

"Despite their best efforts, I've been able to sneak in a little surprise." He reached up and stroked Ikaros' cheek. "Ah, my dear, you are going to dance for me. 'Tis going to be a performance none shall soon forget."

* * *

><p>In her bedroom, Daedalus wept. All her equipment and privileges had been stripped, her home sealed shut. No communication, no influence, no knowledge beyond the sight of Ikaros being taken. "Please be safe, my daughter. Please... be safe."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

"Delta, I can't believe I have to fetch you home! Again!"

"I'm sorry senpai, but I was just so hungry, and those funny mushrooms looked so yummy!"

Nymph and Astraea were returning from their patrols, Astraea looking a little worse for wear. As far as she could remember, a wild mushroom tasting session somehow ended with losing a wrestling match to a waterfall.

Astraea whimpered. "Mom is gonna be mad, isn't she? Could you tell her I was attacked by some of those downers? Or maybe a bear? A flock of bears?"

"Not a chance," Nymph pouted. "I'm pretty sure she's caught on after the upteenth time. And bears don't come in flocks. Anyway, we're here."

The pair stopped at what a human eye would see as an ordinary, empty space in mid-air. What actually loomed before them was the cloaking barrier that hid and protected Synapse from the outside world. Nymph activated her communications link and connected to the Synapse security office.

"Hello, Beta and Delta reporting. Requesting permission to enter Synapse."

To her surprise, the reply came from the high council banquet hall. "Change of orders. You are to remain outside and maintain communications silence until further notice. Remain hidden. Avoid all contact with downers."

Nymph blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry, sir. What is the situation?"

"Do not question the council, Beta. We trust in your loyalty." And with that, the channel was closed.

"What's wrong, senpai?" Astraea asked.

"I ... don't know. Looks like we're going to have to lay low a while."

Though she didn't know the details, Astraea could feel something was terribly amiss. "I hope Mom's okay".

"Me too. Come on."

* * *

><p>Minos, dining in luxury with the rest of the high council, closed the communications channel with Nymph. "That should keep them out of the way for now. Can't risk them causing a fuss if they find out about Daedalus and Ikaros, can we?"<p>

Another council member leaned over to him. "Even so Minos, is this deception really necessary?"

"Daedalus' creations may be powerful, but they are also unpredictable. They may try to break our hold on Ikaros, and you know how she tends to overreact. Better that we let them in only after this whole matter is resolved. Now where were we... ah, yes. Ikaros."

Across the room knelt Ikaros, her reprogramming complete, eyes an ominous swirling red. She now answered to the high council alone, and was ready to receive her primary mission.

Minos spoke between mouthfuls of exorbitant meats. "Ikaros. It seems the downers have acquired the audacity to build a pathway to our holiest heaven. They may be mere insects now, but even the weakest of vermin can become a pest if allowed to run amok. Break their tower and their city. Leave no survivors."

"Yes, master." She unfurled her wings and left for Babel.

* * *

><p>The plains of Shinar, cradle of the united civilization of humanity. And within, its crown jewel, Babel city. The city had been built using architectural concepts well ahead of their time, many of which would later resurface among the defining traits of Akkadian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman construction. Visitors to the city may spot small trinkets of high technology, adapted from items that either fell from Synapse or were left behind after surface operations. Life was good. The lands were fertile, the streets safe at night, and all work was dedicated to the worthy cause of their great Tower. The people of Babel were ready to usher in a new golden age, where they would walk amongst their gods and speak to them face to face, reveling in their wisdom and love, and perhaps some day rise to be their equals.<p>

As if to congratulate them on their impending success, a pink-winged angel descended from heaven and looked down upon them. The people fell prostrate in reverence before her. Some stepped forth with holy offerings and raised their hands to her in glorious prayer.

They were struck down. The sky rained fire. The earth shook. And in a great burst of light, the jewel of Shinar was no more.

Nymph and Astraea arrived soon afterwards, hidden under Nymph's cloaking field. She knew that Ikaros had fired Apollyon, a mighty energy bow that laid waste to entire countries in a single shot. Regardless of terrestrial distance, no event of such magnitude could escape Nymph's sensors. The pair were horrified by what they saw; the landscape was scorched as far as the eye could see. The epicenter of the blast had been reduced to a pit of molten glass and stone. The dead lay innumerable, interspersed with a few broken survivors. Most of them lay weeping. Others cursed the angel of death that had brought this upon them: Ikaros.

"...Ikaros-senpai?" Astraea whispered. She moved out of the cloaking field and approached her sister. Ikaros' wings rippled with light and she unleashed a volley from her Artemis missile system, causing Astraea to flinch. The projectiles silenced any humans that yet lived. Ikaros then turned to Astraea with a blank expression. Without saying a word, Ikaros took off in the direction of Synapse.

Astraea looked down at the carnage before her. She didn't know what to say or do; this was the first time she had ever encountered such suffering, such hate on such a grand scale.

Nymph took her shoulder. "We should go after Ikaros. She isn't herself. She can't be." Her voice was carefully measured, yet her distress was still clear. The two flew off in pursuit.

* * *

><p>They arrived at Synapse in time to see the a gap in the cloaking barrier open before Ikaros, closing behind her as she entered. Synapse did not respond to Nymph's communication requests.<p>

"What do we do senpai? We were told to stay outside, but I think something really bad is going on in there!"

"Well now," Nymph mused. "It's not like mother gave us the orders herself. Let me show you why I'm Synapse's number one electronic warfare specialist!"

Nymph approached the barrier and interfaced with it using her hacking systems. As Astraea looked on, the barrier started to warp and waver around Nymph. "This could take a bit. They've added some extra protection, but they're no match for my skill!"

* * *

><p>Inside Synapse, the council members were again gathering in their forum to congratulate Ikaros on her mission. There was still the question of what to do with her and how to handle Daedalus' imprisonment. Their members argued back and forth about this predicament. Ikaros obediently knelt before them, awaiting their judgment.<p>

"I propose that we remove Daedalus from the council indefinitely and keep Ikaros for ourselves as a lesson to her."

"No, no, no. Her feelings for her 'daughter' are too strong. The situation could easily boil over."

"But do you think we can truly reconcile with Daedalus? Perhaps we need an incentive of some sort. And Minos, you seem to be awfully silent on the matter. What say you?"

The edges of Minos' lips twisted upward. "I say we ask the Uranus Queen for her opinion. Ikaros, what do you make of this situation?"

"I only wish to serve my master," she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Good," another council member stated. "Since we are your masters now, perhaps you'd be willing-"

"No. You are not my master." With that, she fired a single Artemis missile that buried itself in the council member's chest. It carried him up into the sky before obliterating him in an explosive burst of energy. "Commencing secondary mission."

The other council members stood in shock. Armed sentries rushed into position around Ikaros, but were thrown back across the grounds by a swipe of her wing. One council member snarled at Ikaros. "You... you would dare-!" He too was slain. The others called upon their personal angeloids, but none could withstand the assault that followed. The entire council, their guardians, and all in attendance fell to Ikaros' relentless firepower. All except Minos, who stepped towards Ikaros over the corpses of his former colleagues as his twisted laughter rang through a sky filled with burning angels' feathers.

"Well done, well done, my child! But you do know there is one other person who must disappear before your master can truly be satisfied."

"Yes, master. Target Daedalus acquired."

* * *

><p>"Just a few more minutes," Nymph stated. "We're almost through!"<p>

"Um, senpai, I think we're in trouble." Astraea moved to cover Nymph. The Harpies had arrived, and they were clearly not there to help.

The blonde Gamma-2 deployed a cannon over her arm and pointed it at Daedalus' children. "And what might you be doing miss? No unauthorized entry. Master's orders."

"I assume you're going to resist arrest," the green-haired Gamma-1 continued. "Please do. We were hoping for a bit of sport." She also deployed her weapon, identical to her twin sister's.

Astraea summoned her sword and shield in response. "Nymph-senpai, we need to fight!"

"I can't stop now!" Nymph cried. "Security could lock me out completely if I let up! You need to buy me some time!"

Gamma-1 raised her eyebrow. "Oh? Well, Delta does have a powerful shield, but it can only be active for a limited time, yes?"

"Front-facing only too. Think you can defend against both of us at once?" Gamma-2 smirked. The two Harpies split up and circled around the other two angeloids, constantly changing their angle of attack.

Astraea raised her shield. She needed to protect Nymph at all costs. But could she do it, even if she paid with her life?


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Smoke filled Daedalus' room as she worked on an improvised circuit board. Though the council had taken any equipment they thought she could use, she could still piece together some basic communication devices from parts of household appliances. There may be hope yet that she could contact the outside world and help Ikaros.

She was stunned by an explosion that rocked the house, a gaping hole torn through its outer wall. As the smoke cleared, she saw the silhouette of her daughter and was overcome with joy. "She is safe," she thought to herself. "And she is here to free me!" She climbed out to meet her.

Her joy turned to terror as she emerged; Minos hovered beside Ikaros, wearing a look of triumph. She could see smoke rising from the council forum in the distance.

"What have you done to her, Minos? What treachery is this?"

"Is that any way to speak to the king of heaven, my dear? Once you're out of the way, I will be the council. I alone will control the Rules. I alone will be grand master of all Synapse!"

Through gritted teeth, Daedalus shot back. "How could you do this to your fellow angels? You're a fiend!"

"All these centuries of living above the downers have taught me a few things, Daedalus. First and foremost is that only the strong deserve a crown. The strong, and the ambitious. In spite of your skill, your compassion has made you weak. I wonder if you'll look so kindly upon the surface insects when they feast on your corpse." He broke into uncontrolled cackling.

Madness had claimed him. Daedalus knew he was beyond reasoning with, and it was all she could do to flee. She started on foot, hoping to use foliage as cover.

"Should I finish her, master?" Ikaros asked.

"Not quite yet. I didn't think it could be this fun, watching the great Daedalus scurry about. We can afford to toy with her for a while. Follow her and keep her on her toes."

Ikaros locked on to Daedalus' life signature and pursued.

* * *

><p>Outside, the Harpies began their attack on Astraea and Nymph. Firing their Prometheus beam cannons at Nymph from seemingly random directions, Astraea could barely keep track of them despite her unmatched aerial speed. Her Aegis-L shield, though extremely difficult to penetrate, only offered protection in a limited arc. Furthermore, its power requirements meant that it would be drained before Nymph broke through into Synapse.<p>

Astraea did have some things in her favor. The Harpies could not attack Nymph from opposite directions; Synapse's barrier would deflect shots that came at too shallow an angle. Astraea was also the strongest of all angeloids in close combat, strong enough to easily overwhelm the Harpies if they dared approach. But how could she close the distance without leaving Nymph vulnerable?

After a few moments, one Harpy made a shot that Astraea only just managed to block, throwing her off balance. A second shot followed, and Astraea was unable to reposition her shield in time. She intercepted the beam with her right arm, crying out in pain as her flesh burned.

Nymph looked back, concerned for her sister. "Delta! Hold on-"

"Don't stop, senpai! I've got this!"

One chance. Astraea raised her sword, Chrysaor, and in spite of her injury hurled it with all her might at Gamma-1. The Harpy elegantly evaded the attack, and turned to mock Astraea.

"Really. You actually thought that could possibly work? You really are nothing but a- huh?"

Nymph was alone. As Gamma-1 charged her cannon, not wanting to waste this chance, she heard Gamma-2 scream in shock. Gamma-1 turned to see her sister falling out of control, and a separate blur of motion passed out of the corner of her vision. She soon felt a tap on her shoulder, and looked behind herself.

"Baka." Astraea smacked Gamma-1 in the face with her shield, knocking the Harpy out instantly.

Nymph had opened a gap in the barrier about a minute afterwards. In the meantime Astraea had looked for Chrysaor without success, but she could worry about that later. For now their priority was to find out what was going on in Synapse. Nymph snuck a worried glance at Astraea's sword arm, and Astraea smiled and nodded to assure her that the wound was manageable. The pair entered the gap and proceeded into Synapse.

* * *

><p>Daedalus was hiding inside a vacant shop in Synapse's commercial sector, an extension of the residential district. She had been run ragged. Due to Ikaros' radar tracking she was unable to take refuge in any one spot for long. She had to make short trips through the air whenever her cover was broken by Ikaros' attacks, and each time she did she was buffeted by concussive blasts from Artemis. Ikaros may not yet be aiming to kill, but it was only a matter of time until Minos grew tired of this game.<p>

The building shook and the ceiling caved in. Daedalus dived out into the street to avoid being crushed. Struggling to stand, she turned towards the approaching Ikaros and held out her arms. "My daughter, please! If there is any part of you that still has free will, please, fight!"

Ikaros' response was a missile at Daedalus' feet. Daedalus was thrown backwards, but was able to regain her balance and began to take flight. A second blast struck a nearby building and debris rained down on Daedalus. A chunk of granite struck one of Daedalus' wings. With a gasp she crashed to the ground and tumbled to a stop. She could flee no more.

Minos sauntered in from above. "I suppose this merry episode had to end sometime. Daedalus, it's been a pleasure, but it's time for your curtain call. Ikaros, put this sorry little bird out of her misery."

Ikaros' wings flared, ready to unleash a final barrage. Yet, nothing followed but an awkward silence.

"...Ikaros. I trust you understood your master's orders." Minos still held his smirk, but his manner stiffened noticeably.

A single tear rolled down Ikaros' cheek.

Minos' smirk turned into a scowl. "You insolent...! You defy me? Me?" He turned and held Ikaros by her collar, raising a hand to strike her.

"Let go of Alpha, you sick bastard!"

Nymph and Astraea had arrived, following Nymph's radar and the trail of destruction. Nymph swooped in between Minos and Ikaros, and with a spinning kick had Minos tasting blood and dirt. Astraea planted her knee on the base of his neck, holding him down even as he clumsily flailed about and spat his venom. "Treasonous little brat! You dare strike the lord of the heavens! You will burn! You will all burn!"

Nymph ignored him and checked Daedalus' wounds. She was bruised and exhausted, but she'd make it. After taking a moment to catch her breath, Daedalus spoke to her daughters. "I'll be fine, thanks to you. Ikaros was under Minos' control. It must've taken all of her effort to break it, knowing Minos' methods."

"That's Alpha. Strong and dependable," Nymph replied. She turned towards her elder sister. "It's okay Alpha. What you did- No!"

Ikaros had rushed over to Nymph and gripped Nymph's face in her hand. Lifting Nymph into the air, she held her other hand near Nymph's torso and started charging an energy blast that would tear Nymph apart. "Commencing tertiary mission."

"Senpai, don't!" Astraea released Minos and pulled Ikaros' charged hand away. The resulting haywire explosion sent all three girls careening backward out of sight.

"Did they think I would lack a contingency?" Minos said to himself. He rose to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. "Daedalus' lot are petulant, unworthy of my rule."

"We can live with that." One loud crack, and Minos slumped face-first into the dust. Daedalus dropped the chunk of debris she used to strike his cranium. She had just the strength to whisper, "My daughters," before fatigue took her consciousness.

* * *

><p>Ikaros awoke to find herself lying on her side in a small crater. She had somehow crashed onto an island near the bottom of Synapse. Her memory was hazy and it hurt to draw breath. Lifting herself off the ground, Ikaros staggered forward while trying to recall recent events, a decision she soon regretted. Images of devastation and screams of the dying flooded her mind. She sank to her knees, clutching her skull. Tears flowed freely as she tried in vain to shut out the horror. She cried out for her mother before seeing her being battered by her own hand. Ikaros buried her face in her arms and curled into a sobbing heap.<p>

Minutes passed and her weeping ceased, followed by a long stillness. Then without warning she mechanically swiveled upright and spread her mighty wings. "Resuming tertiary mission. Targets Beta and Delta acquired."

* * *

><p>Nymph and Astraea had fallen off the residential district onto one of the lower landmasses, an open field once used for agriculture. As they picked themselves up, Ikaros appeared in the distance, hovering towards them with clear hostile intent. Minos had added a program to kill Nymph and Astraea should the Harpies fail. Though Ikaros had taken the brunt of the explosion, she had plenty of strength left to deal with her sisters. On top of this, her formidable self-repair system was already undoing the damage she suffered.<p>

"How could it ever have come to this?" Nymph sadly wondered.

Astraea rubbed her wounded arm. She couldn't heal as quickly as Ikaros, and her earlier injury had been aggravated by the fall. "I don't know. None of this makes sense to me. We're going to make it, right?"

"Don't worry, Delta. No-one else is going to die today."

Nymph only wished she could believe her own words.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Nymph and Astraea picked themselves up and steadied themselves as best they could. Ikaros had paused momentarily, though it was unclear if it was due to her resisting Minos' conditioning or to repair her existing damage. Nymph used her sensors to scan Ikaros' condition.

"Ikaros is definitely putting up a fight, but Minos' program keeps reasserting itself." Nymph concluded. "I should be able to break it if we can get her to sit still. We'll have to disable her somehow."

Her musings were cut short as Ikaros released several waves of Artemis missiles from her wings. "Delta, circle us around!"

Astraea grabbed Nymph and strafed around Ikaros, causing the missiles to converge as they tracked her, narrowing their striking angle so that she could block them all with her shield. "Senpai, I think I can hold her down if I can get in close!"

Nymph nodded. "Wait for my opening, Delta!" She broke away, drawing some of the missiles with her. Positioning herself so that the incoming missiles were between her and Ikaros, she turned to face her elder sister.

"Paradise Song!" A stream of plasma emanated from her mouth, destroying the missiles in front of her. The stream continued towards Ikaros, who erected her own Aegis defense barrier. Though not quite as durable as Astraea's Aegis-L, it protected Ikaros from every angle and could remain active almost indefinitely. It was more than capable of dispersing Nymph's Paradise Song.

However, Ikaros could not fire Artemis out from Aegis as long as it was active. That was the opening Nymph planned for. "Delta, now!"

Ikaros dropped Aegis and prepared another Artemis wave, but Astraea had already reached her side. Astraea grappled with her sister, halting Ikaros' attack. Nymph moved in to begin hacking.

In response, Ikaros erected Aegis around both herself and Astraea, locking Nymph out. "Alpha, what are you doing?" Nymph cried.

Ikaros then fired Artemis from within Aegis, a suicidal tactic. The missiles traveled but a short distance before detonating on Aegis' interior, the force rebounding onto both Ikaros and Astraea from all sides.

"Of course," Nymph realized. "If Minos can't have Alpha, he wants her destroyed along with us!"

Aegis faded and the smoke from the explosions cleared. Both Ikaros and Astraea stumbled away from each other and dropped to their knees, breathing heavily. They had lost most of their armor and their wings were badly scorched. Flight would be limited at best, and Artemis was out of commission. Despite their damage neither of them were ready to quit just yet. Facing one another, they rose slowly but surely into their combat stances. Ikaros' superior regenerative abilities meant that she would still triumph in the long term. Nymph moved in to subdue Ikaros, but was swatted aside. Even in this state Ikaros was far superior to her in raw power.

"Senpai, my sword! I need my sword!" Astraea croaked.

Nymph looked up from the ground in confusion. "What? I can't just leave you here! And if you use Chrysaor on Alpha..."

"Ikaros-senpai wouldn't want to live like this. And senpai is strong. She'll make it, I know she will!"

"...All right." Nymph stood and turned away. "We're all walking away from this. Understand?"

"Yes, senpai. Let's go play in Mom's house after this." Astraea looked into Ikaros' eyes. "All of us."

Something briefly connected within Ikaros. For an instant, her mood seemed to lighten, her eyes smiling ever so slightly. It soon passed, and she advanced grimly toward Astraea as Nymph descended to the world below.

* * *

><p>Daedalus stirred. She was aching all over, but at least she could move. She looked about to see Minos sitting across from her. The Harpies were beside him, having recovered from their loss against Astraea. Gamma-2 tended to a deep cut on Minos' scalp. He seemed eerily content, considering his earlier outburst.<p>

"My dear, I only wish I'd known you'd be such a nuisance. I guess your tenacity is something to be commended." Minos snapped his fingers, and Gamma-1 hoisted Daedalus to her feet. "I wonder if your creations are doing as well."

Daedalus expressed her contempt through silence.

"Master," Gamma-2 interjected, "The wound is nearly dressed."

"Good. When you're done, let's see how those girls are enjoying their little play session."

* * *

><p>Fortunately for Astraea her sword Chrysaor had not fallen far from Synapse. It did not take long for Nymph to locate it with her radar, and the breach in Synapse's barrier Nymph had created earlier was still open. She returned to see Astraea on the definite losing end of a melee with Ikaros.<p>

Astraea's shield had been knocked a fair distance away. She was scoring a few good hits, but from her stumbling gait it was clear that her strength had almost been spent. In contrast, Ikaros was fighting with disciplined vigor and slowly recovering in spite of combat. Her wings had regained most of their form, enabling the use of Artemis. Nymph dived towards them.

"I'm here Delta! Hold on!"

Ikaros turned and locked her Artemis array onto Nymph. Astraea made a desperate lunge at Ikaros' flank. As Ikaros began to fire, Astraea tackled her to the ground. A handful of missiles had still been launched and were headed straight for Nymph, who tossed Chrysaor towards Astraea as quickly as she could. Nymph spun to the side and narrowly avoided a direct hit, but she could not escape the worst of the missiles' detonations. She was thrown out of control and tumbled painfully past her sisters.

"Forgive me, senpai!" Astraea snatched Chrysaor out of the air. Holding it in both hands, she charged the blade with most of her remaining energy and plunged it through Ikaros' abdomen, binding her to the earth.

Ikaros convulsed, coughing up synthetic blood. She twisted to and fro in a desperate attempt to free herself, even as her strength abandoned her. After one last pitiable spasm, she fell completely limp, all radiance fading from her tarnished wings. She lay still for what seemed like an eternity to Astraea. Finally, Ikaros drew a labored breath. She slowly turned her head towards her vanquisher. Ikaros' eyes flickered between red and green, and her expression had softened. The trauma had disrupted the conditioning enough for Ikaros to momentarily regain her senses. It was all she could do to whisper, "Thank you."

Nymph staggered over to where her elder sister lay. She was barely able to move after taking those blasts, but one more task had to be accomplished. Placing her hand on Ikaros' forehead, she began purging her of Minos' alterations. Astraea carefully removed Chrysaor from Ikaros and held Ikaros' hand protectively.

As Nymph completed the restoration of Ikaros' original programming, Ikaros peacefully closed her eyes and entered passive recovery mode. The wound in her stomach slowly began to knit itself together. It would nonetheless be a few days before she regained full mobility. She had also lost her imprinting with Daedalus, but that could be renewed once she was well again.

Nymph and Astraea looked at each other and smiled. They had made it.

"I must congratulate you on a spectacular climax!"

Nymph and Astraea whirled around to see Minos and his Harpies hovering above them. Gamma-1 had Daedalus restrained, while Gamma-2 held her cannon to Daedalus' temple.

"Mom!" they both screamed.

"To think that all of you would actually survive." Minos turned towards Daedalus. "Your children have impressed me, and I do not make such statements lightly. In fact, I'm willing to extend to you the opportunity of a lifetime." He leaned in close to Daedalus' face. "Make them mine, and all of you might yet survive through this coming age."

"What? No! My children, flee!" Daedalus cried. Gamma-2 pressed her weapon against Daedalus' head.

"Look at them, my dear. They can barely stand, much less fly. How far do you think they'd get before my Harpies could cut them down? And I don't believe that the Uranus Queen is in any condition to go anywhere at all."

"It's okay Mom," Nymph said through tears of grief.

Astraea nodded. "We'll save you someday! For sure!"

Minos scoffed while Daedalus solemnly extended her hand. Nymph and Astraea's chains extended to their full lengths, flowing from their collars to her grasp. As Daedalus released them, the chains floated over to Minos, who gleefully took them in his fist.

Nymph and Astraea fell silent. They turned to face Minos, and bowed deeply. "What is your bidding, master?" they both intoned. Daedalus could only look away.

Minos grinned victoriously. "My Harpies, return Daedalus to house arrest. As for my two new servants, I might have to take some extra steps to ensure your loyalty. You shall report for reconditioning." He focused a threatening gaze on Nymph. "After I have Beta disciplined for marring my perfect visage, of course."

Nymph winced. Astraea placed a hand on her in consolation. "What about Ikaros-senpai?" Astraea asked sheepishly.

"Hmm." Minos stroked his chin in thought. "A Uranus Queen that lacks imprinting may prove a challenge to subdue. She will have her memories sealed, and her body stored at the far edge of Synapse until proper measures can be taken. But that is a task that can wait 'till pleasantries are concluded." Minos beckoned towards them. "Now come, my dears. Your new lives await."


	5. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Many thousands of years had passed. Daedalus had continued to build what she could from within the confines of her home, and was now able to monitor the goings on in the outside world and have limited access to some of Synapse's infrastructure. She discovered that Minos had failed to regain control of Ikaros on his own, and kept the Uranus Queen imprisoned to this day. She had even acquired the codes needed to remotely release Ikaros and send her down to Earth. What she lacked was someone outside that she could trust. Nymph and Astraea had their memories altered, and no longer knew of the betrayal their new master perpetrated to achieve his position. Any angel that questioned Minos' position was forced to undergo induced dreaming, and all dreaming angels had their dream states endlessly extended under his rule.

There was one other hope. Centuries before the Babel incident, Daedalus had had fallen in love with a human boy while she herself was living through a human avatar via the induced dream system. Her own avatar perished early in life for reasons long forgotten, but as an angel she could still take measures to protect the boy from the wrath of her own kind. She secretly connected his mind with Synapse itself, which allowed her to covertly communicate with him as he slept.

Though his natural lifespan had ended long ago, the boy's soul had been stored along with many others in Synapse's reincarnation system. In order to allow dreaming angels to meet with their favorite human companions over multiple lifetimes, the souls of these favored humans could be stored in a great, divine computer to be resurrected at a later date. Such was the connection Daedalus established with the child that it would be passed down to his future incarnations.

It had taken her much time to gain sufficient access, but she had recently been able to force the system to reincarnate the boy into the body of the next human male born on Earth. It was then a matter of locating which child carried the soul that she longed to meet.

After a few years of searching, she finally found him. In the quiet town of Sorami, in the nation of Japan, was a sleeping boy named Sakurai Tomoki. He wasn't quite what she was expecting, but in him she saw the same courage and fire that belonged to the boy she met in ages past. She would instill her image in his mind, and when the time was right, she would send her daughter Ikaros down to him to live free of the tyranny that currently gripped the skies, and to one day free them all.

For now, she activated a portal that would take her physically into his dreamscape. Beyond was an open field, resembling one of the agricultural districts of Synapse. The child lay upon the soft grass, basking in the warmth of an imagined sun. She knelt down beside him, and stroked his hair. He looked up at her in surprise, but quickly accepted her as part of his dream.

They took each other's hand, and walked into the distance.


End file.
